Similarities and Differences

Similarities and Differences is one of the categories of the nine research-based Effective Teaching Strategies identified in Classroom Instruction That Works by Robert Marzano, et al. According to their research, using Similarities and Differences will result in the highest gains in student achievement. There are four different types of strategies in the category of Similarities and Differences. Click on the links below for resources related to each of these individual strategies:

The links further down the page are related to Similarities and Differences in general.

Presentation Materials

Compare, Contrast and Classify PowerPoint: Click on this link for a PowerPoint presentation created by Lynn and her group for the ETS Certification training on 12/6-12/8/10: CompareClassifyPresentation.ppt

Web-based Resources for Similarities and Differences

Click on the links below for resources you can use to apply the effective teaching strategy of Similarities and Differences:

Comparative Analysis Template from Inspiration -
Double Bubble Chart - To download a Word document that contains a template for a Double Bubble Chart, go to:http://freeteach.com/graphic_organizers/double_bubble
Similarities and Differences in Science - For an online evolution game that compares similarities that were inherited to similarities that evolved, go to: http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/0_0_0/similarity_hs_01

ETS Templates for Helping Students Organize Their Thinking Around Similarities and Differences

Comparison Matrix Template.doc - This a Word document with a template for a Comparison Matrix that contains a space for students to compare the similarities and differences among 3 items and 4 characteristics. Comparative Analysis Template from Inspiration.doc
Comparative Analysis Template from Inspiration.doc - This is a Word document that contains a JPEG file from a Comparative Analysis Template developed using the Inspiration software.
Double Bubble from freeteach.com.doc - This is a Double Bubble comparison matrix.
doublebubble Conflict comparison .doc - This is a Word document of a Double Bubble Conflict Comparison chart that Mary Blain and Jane Cook created for Mary's students to use to organize their thinking around Conflict and the similarities and differences in the main character of two books that they are reading and how these characteristics helped resolve the conflict.
doublebubble Conflict comparison no lines or fill in bubble boxes .doc - This is the same document as the one above with the lines and white fill color removed from the boxes that are inside the bubbles.